Leave No Trace is a great educational, nonprofit organization. Their goal is to educate people about how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Through targeted education, research and outreach, the Center aims to help ensure the long-term health of our natural world.

Leave No Trace is partially like it sounds – go into nature, but leave zero-waste. However, the whole “Leave No Trace” motto isn’t intended as a literal motto. Instead think of it as a guiding philosophy that can help you make smart choices as you enjoy nature.

The Center notes, “If all who enjoy the outdoors were to do what they could to minimize the unavoidable impacts (trampling, erosion, etc.) and prevent the avoidable impacts (properly dealing with human waste, properly storing food and trash from animals, sticking to durable ground, keeping human and other waste out of water sources, etc.) it would go a long way towards protecting the places we enjoy from recreational impacts.“

In general, when you and your family head to nature, you should attempt, within reason, to leave as little damage as possible behind. The Leave No Trace Seven Principles are as follows (check out this link to read more about each):

Plan Ahead and Prepare

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Dispose of Waste Properly

Leave What You Find

Minimize Campfire Impacts

Respect Wildlife

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

The Center also offers some kid-specific principals designed to keep kids safe and build young nature lovers and environmentalists. The kids principals are as follows:

Know Before You Go

Choose The Right Path

Trash Your Trash

Leave What You Find

Be Careful With Fire

Respect Wildlife

Be Kind To Other Visitors

If we all do our best to limit our negative impacts on nature, it’ll be around for a long time so generations ahead may enjoy it too.

The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org